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DE WITT'S ACTING PLAYS. 

(IN^inl^ei* 3 30.) 




DON'T BE TOO QUICK 

TO CRY WOLF. 



A Comedietta, 



IN ONE ACT 



By T. EDGAR PEMBERTON. 



TOGETHER WITH 

A Description of tbe Costumes— Cast of the Characters— Entrances 

and Exits— Relative Positions of the Performers on the 

S ta ge_and the whole of the Stage Business. 




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pro f 0th : 
DE WITT. PUBLISHER 

No. 33 Hose Street. 



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A COMPUTE DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF DE WITTS ASTINO 
I WITTS ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DRAMAS, containing 
Scenery, Time of Representation, and every other informa- 
and post-paid. 



DE WITT'S 



ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DRAMA. 



Nothing so thorough and complete in the way of Ethiopian and Comic Dramas has ever 
been printed as those that appear in the following list. Not only are the plots excellent, the 
characters droll, the incidents funny, the language humorous, but all the situations.Jby-play. 
positions, pantomimic business, scenery, and tricks are so plainly set down and clearly 
explained that the merest novice could put any of them on the stage. Included in this 
Catalogue are all the most laughable and effective pieces of their class ever produced. 

*** In ordering please copy the figures at the commencement of each piece, which 
indicate the number of the piece in " De Witt's Ethiopian and Comic Drama." 

4Gg= Any of the following Plays sent, postage free, on receipt of price — Fifteen Cents 
each. 

4@= The figure following the name of the Play denotes the number of Acts. The 
figures in the columns indicate the number of characters— M. male; F. female. 



10, 

11. 

146. 

110. 

126. 
127. 

128. 

I 120. 

73. 
89. 

24. 

108. 

US. 

35 

112 

41 

144 

140 

; 12 

| 53 

63 

i 131 



M. F. 

Absent Minded, Ethiopian farce. 1 

act 3 1 

African Box, burlesque, 2 scenes. . . 5 
African us Bluebeard, musical Ethi- 
opian burlesque, 1 scene 6 2 

Ambition, farce, 2 scenes 7 

Awful Plot (An) Ethiopian farce, la. 3 1 

Baby Elephant, sketch, 2 scenes 7 1 

Bad' Whiskey, Irish sketch, 1 scene. 2 1 
Baruey's Courtship, musical inter- 
lude, 1 act 1 2 

Big Mistake, sketch, 1 scene 4 

Black Chap from Whitechapel, Ne- 
gro piece 4 

Black Chemist, sketch, 1 scene 3 

Black-Ey'd William, sketch,2 scenes 4 1 
Black Forrest (The),Ethiopian farce, 

lact 2 1 

Black Magician (De),Ethiopian com- 
icality 4 2 

Black Statue (The), Negro farce 4 2 

Blinks and Jinks, Ethiopian sketch. 3 I 
Bobolino, the Black Bandit, Ethio- 
pian musical farce, 1 act 2 1 

Body Snatchers (The), Negro sketch, 

2 scenes 3 1 

Bogus Iudian, sketch, 4 scenes 5 2 

Bogus Talking Machine (The), farce, 

1 scene .". . . 4 

Bruised and Cured, sketch, 1 scene. 2 
Charge of the Hash Brigade, comic 

JrisL musical sketch 2 2 

Christmas Eve in the South, Ethio- 
pian farce, 1 act 6 2 

Coal Heaver's Revenge,Negro sketch, 

1 scene 6 

Coming Man (The). Ethiopian sketch. 

2 scenes 3 1 

Cremation, sketch, 2 scenes 8 1 

Crowded Hotel (The), sketch, 1 sc. 4 1 

Cupid's Frolics, sketch, 1 scene 5 1 

Daguerreotypes, sketch, 1 scene 3 

Damon and Pythias, burlesque, 2 sc. 5 1 
Darkey's Stratagem, sketch. 1 scene 3 1 
Darkey Sleep Walker (The), Ethio- 
pian sketch, 1 scene 3 1 



M. F. 
124. Deaf as a Post. Ethiopian sketch... . 2 
HI. Deeds of Darkness, Ethiopian ex- 
travaganza, 1 act 6 1 

139. Desperate Situation (A), farce, 1 sc. 5 2 

50. Draft (The), sketch, 2 scenes 6 

64. Dutchman's Ghost, 1 scene 4 1 

95. Dutch Justice, laughable sketch, 

1 scene .11 

67. Editor's Troubles, farce, 1 scene.. . 6 

4. Eh ? What is it ? sketch 4 1 

136. Election Day, Ethiopian farce. 2 sc. 6 1 
98. Elopement (The), farce, 2 scenes. ..41 

52. Excise Trials, sketch, 1 scene 10 1 

25. Fellow that Looks like Me, inter- 
lude, 1 scene 2 1 

88. First Night (The), Dutch farce, 1 act 4 2 

51. Fisherman's Luck, sketch, 1 scene. 2 
152. Fun in a Cooper's Shop, Ethiopian 

sketch 6 

106. Gambrinus, King of Lager Beer, 

Ethiopian burlesque, 2 scenes 8 1 

83. German Emigrant (The).sketch,lsc. 2 2 
77. Getting Square on the Call Boy, 

sketch, 1 scene 3 

17. Ghost (The), Sketch, 1 act 2 

58. Ghost in a Pawn Shop, sketch. 1 sc. 4 

31. Glycerine Oil, sketch. 2 scenes 3 

20. Going for the Cup, interlude 4 

82. Good Night's Rest, sketch, 1 scene. 3 
130. Go and get Tight, Ethiopian sketch, 

1 scene 6 

86. Gripsack, sketch, 1 scene 3 

70. Guide to the Stage, sketch 3 

61. Happy Couple, 1 scene 2 1 

142. Happy Uncle Bufus, Ethiopian mu- 
sical sketch, 1 scene 1 1 

23. Hard Times, extravaganza. 1 scene. 5 1 
118. Helen's Funny Babies, burlesque. 

1 act 6 

3. Hemmed In, sketch 3 1 

48. High Jack, the Heeler, sketch, 1 sc. 6 

68. Hippotheatron, sketch 9 

150. How to Pay the Kent, farce, 1 scene 6 

71. In and Out, sketch. 1 scene 2 

123 Intelligence Office (The), Ethiopian 

sketch, 1 scene 2 1 



■ DON'T BE 
TOO QUICK TO GET 
"WOLF." 

A COMEDIETTA, IN ONE ACT. 

BY 

T. EDGAR P EMBERTON 



TOGETHER WITH 

A DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUMES— CAST OF THE CHARACTERS— 

ENTRANCES AND EXITS— RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE 

PERFORMERS ON THE STAGE, AND THE WHOLE OF 

THE STAGE BUSINESS. 




\&mm. # '<£^ 



'YRISH 



NEW YORK: 

DEWITT, PUBLISHER, 

No. 33 Rose Street. 



Copyright, 1884, by A. T. B. De Witt. 



DONT BE TOO QUICK TO CRT WOLF. 



CAST OF CHARACTERS. 

§SLS^f&i»A». \ANevly.Married Couple, 
Captain George. 






TIME OF PLAYING— THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES. 

SCENERY. 
SCENE— Morning Room in Guy Gilbert's Country House. Mid-day. 

COSTUMES. 

Guy Gilbart—Daxk, plain, morning suit. 

Captain George— Handsome, rather dashing, walking suit. . . . 

Geraldine GUbartr-Very handsome morning dress— rather girlish in its general 
effect. 



PROPERTIES. 
Book, for Guy ; flowers, for Geraldine ; 2 letters, for ditto, 1 open. 



STAGE DIRECTIONS. 

R. means Right of Stage, facing the Audience ; L. Left; C. Centre; R. C. Right 
of Centre ; L. C. Left of Centre. D. F. Door in the Flat, or Scene running across 
the back of the Stage; C. D. F. Centre Door in the Flat; R. D. F. Right Door in 
the Flat ; L. C. F. Left Door in the Flat ; R. D. Right Door ; L. D. Left Door : 1 E. 
First Entrance; 2 E. Second Entrance; U. E. Upper Entrance; 1, 2 or 3 G. First, 
Second or Third Groove. 

R. R.C. C. L. C. L. 

flgpThe reader is supposed to be upon the stage facing the audience. 



/I 



DON'T BE TOO QUICK TO CRY 'WOLF' 



SCENE.— Morning Room in Guy Gilbart's Country House. Mid-day 
Guy and Geraldine discovered. He is seated' absorbed in a book. 
She is engaged arranging flowers at a table. 

Geraldine {after once or twice endeavoring fruitlessly by signs to at- 
tract his attention. ) Guy ! 

Guy (makes a sign as though he had heard her, but does not speak.) 

Ger. Guy! 

Guy. (Business as before.) 

Ger. Guy! 

Gtjy (without taking his eyes off the book.) Well, dear ? 

Ger. I do wish you would attend to what I have to say. 

Guy (looking up.) Well, I am attending. 

Ger. What a beautiful morning it is. 

Guy. Now, my dear child, you have called me three times, and 
distracted my attention from a most interesting part of the book 
which I am trying to read, to say it's a beautiful morning. Why, 
we agreed upon that subject two hours ago. 

Ger. I don't think it matters to you whether the morning is beau- 
tiful or not ; you don't appreciate it. 

Guy. Dearest wife, I do appreciate it ; I am appreciating it. It is 
a delicious morning. (Continues to read.) 

Ger. Ah, no ! You do not appreciate it: you cannot appreciate it, 
or you would not be sitting there reading. (Pauses. Guy continues 
to read.) 

Ger (impatiently) Guy! 

Guy (collecting himself.) I beg your pardon. 

Ger. Why don't you talk ? 

Guy. Talk, eh ? Oh, yes, to be sure. What a beautiful morning: 

Ger. Don't mock me in that way, Guy ; please don't. You may 
think it funny, but it wounds me. Oh, you can't think bow it wounds 
me. 

Guy. Mock you, my darling — wound you ? What do you mean ? 
What have I said? 

Ger. Whv you just said it was a beautiful morning. 

Guy. Well, it is ; is it not ? 



4 DONT BE TOO QUICK TO CEY "WOLF. 

Ger. 1 had just said that. 

Guy. Upon my life I didn't hear you. {Resumes Ms book. She goes 
on petulantly arranging flowers.) 

Ger. {after a pause.) Do you know what I am doing ? 

Guy. {without looking up.) Eh? 

Ger. Will you kindly look at what I am doing? 

Guy. {looking at her.) Oh, yes; I see. Making a nosegay. Very 
pretty : very charming. 

Ger. I was not making a nosegay just then ; I was doing this. 
{Pulls a piece of grass to pieces.) 

Guy. What on earth are you doing that for ? Rather wasteful, 
isn't it ? and rather calculated to make a mess in the room, and, as 
you are very fond of putting it, "to make work for the servants ?" 

Ger. {petulantly.) You never understand me. I was doing what I 
often used, to do when I was a foolish young girl 

Guy {interrupting.) And before you had servants? 

Ger. Yes, before I was married, which means the same thing. 
{Goes on pulling grass.) "He loves me/' "He loves me not," "He 
loves me" 

Guy. Oh, I know now. Well, of course it comes right each time. 

Ger. Indeed, it doesn't. I've tried five times, and it's always 
wrong. Every thing is wrong now. 

Guy. What rubbish. 

Ger {throwing grass on carpet.) It isn't rubbish, and you used not 
to say it was. 

Guy. But, my dear, / wasn't married then, and hadn't a carpet. 
Rubbish ought not to be thrown there. 

Ger. You've become terribly matter-of-fact. 

Guy. So was the upholsterer when he sent in the bill for the car- 
pet: but I mustn't laugh at you, little woman. I remember years 
ago, when I was quite a boy, when I was first in love with you, ap- 
plying the same test with— no not with grass — with, what do you 
think ? 

Ger. {interested.) With what ? 

Guy. With damson stones out of a damson tart. 

Ger. Ah, Guy! You liked sweets then; you don't now. 

Guy. No; because then they were a treat, now I can always get 
them. Well, the stones came wrong ; I got them all up in a corner 
of my plate, and for a moment they seemed all right. "She loves 
me," I cried ; when suddenly, secreted under the bowl of a deceptive 
spoon, I found another. " She loves me not!" 

Ger. Ah ! The spoon was wrong ! 

Guy. Ah, I felt it was, and being a spoon myself, what do you 
think I did to make things square and comfortable ? 

Ger. What? 

Guy. Put that miserable, untruthful damson stone out of sight by 
— swallowing it ! 

Ger. {coming to him and kneeling by him.) Did you! Oh, my dear 
Guy, I love to think of you doing a thing like that. How I should 
have loved to have seen you do it! 

Guy. I don't think you would. It went down, or rather didn't go 
down, the wrong way, and I was ignominiously ordered to leave the 
room; and, moreover, I was very ill. 

Ger. {rising. Ah, Guy, better 'ill than indifferent. In those days 
you used to like to talk to me, you used to like to sing with me, you 



DONT BE TOO QUICK TO CKY " WOLF. 5 

used to like to read with me, you used to like, oh, you used to love to 
dauce with me ; now at the ball last night you didn't dance with me 
once, and every one noticed it. 

Guv. Now, Geraldine, upon my life this is inconsistent. Before 
we were engaged, and when I wanted to dance with you all night 
long, you wouldn't let me, " because people would notice it ;" now, 
when the position of things is reversed, you say the same thing. 

Ger. But why don't you ask me to dance ? 

Guy. Because I don't want to dance any longer. My dancing was 
a means to an end. 
. Ger. And am I the end ? 

Guy. Undoubtedly, and I have attained it. (Goes on reading.) 

Ger. (after a pause.) I wish you would attain the end of that hor- 
rid book. 

Guy. But if I did I should only begin another. 

Ger. And so it would be with me. Oh, Guy ! 

Guy. (rousing himself.) My dear Geraldine, what nonsense you are 
talking. You are always tormenting yourself with these foolish fan- 
cies. What would you have me do? 

Ger. Why don't you like to dance with me as you used to do ? 

Guy. Oh, if that is all, I will dance with you at once. Let us clear 
the room. "May I have the pleasure of the next "round?" If so 
we can start at once. If, on the contrary, you prefer a " square," 
let us ring the bell and have up the cook and coachman for our vis-a- 
vis. Will you oblige me with your programme ? May I have the 
pleasure of taiing you to supper? Of course the first "extra" is 
ours? 

Ger. (bur sting into tears.) It is ours; it always will be ours; our 
married life is one horrible long extra ; oh, I am so unhappy. 

Guy. My darling, what have I said ; what have I done ; I didn't 
mean to be indifferent to you last night, upon my word I didn't. You 
know I have told you over and over again that I always hated dances, 
and only came to them because I was able to meet you. I never 
wanted to dance with anyone else ; and now that I have you for my 
dear life-companion, I don't — pardon me for saying so — I don't see 
why I should waste my time in dancing with you. 
_ Ger.- (still soiling.) Oh, there is not much fear of your wasting 
time on me. You are too much interested in your books. 

Guy. Now, my darling, is there any great crime in being interested 
in a book ? 

Ger. No ; but, Oh, Guy, I do so feel that the whole thing has been 

Guy. The thing? What thing? 

Ger. Our marriage. 

Guy. (impatiently.) Oh, Geraldine, this is childish. 

Ger. No, it isn't. If we only had a child, perhaps you would 

Guy. (interrupting and speaking sternly.) Geraldine, let me have no 
more of this. Over and over again IfiaVe told you that I am more 
than satisfied with my present life ; more, ten thousand times more 
than satisfied with you. For the first time in an overworked life I 
am enjoying peace and quiet, and am enabled to follow the bent of 
a quiet inclination. If at times I am quiet, if I am absorbed in a 
book, it is because I am happy, and my mind is at rest. You know 
how I love and how I trust you ; you know that your love is the very 
essence of my life. I know that your love for me is as disinterested 



6 DONT BE TOO QUICK TO CRY "WOLF. 

as is mine for you. My only trouble in life is this continued misgiv- 
ing on your part that you do not make me happy ; your foolish feel- 
ing that you do not possess my entire love. 

GrELi. Then you don't think it was a mistake ? 

Guy. My wife 

Ger. Dear Guy, I won't think so any more. Go on with your book, 
and I will go and gather more flowers, {turns to go.) 

Guy. Stop ; for mercy's sake don't hud some new kind of vegetable, 
or antiquated superstition connected with it, to make yourself miser? 

ble with. , ,,.,-. n 

Ger. No. If I do I'll pull the vegetable, as you call it, and the su- 
perstition to pieces at the same time. Now, dear, I've disturbed 
you enough. Good-bye, I have swallowed the damson stone, its gone 
the right way; and I know, on, I know well, "you love me." 

Exit Geraldine. 

Guy. Now, what in the world to do with this dear little wife of 
mine I'm sure I don't know. A better wife surely never lived, and, 
if she only knew it, no wife could make her husband happier than 
she does ; but, the deuce of it is she wont believe it. During the 
twelve months which we have been married, the feeling, the absurd 
feeling, that she does not make me happy, has grown upon her to 
such an extent, and the notion (formed solely, I am certain, on my 
account) that the whole thing, meaning our marriage, is, as she says, 
" a mistake," has developed to such a degree, that as to what she 
will do next to guage the state of my genuinely unalterable affection 
for her, I am on continual "tenter-hooks" (whatever they may be) 
to imagine. Day after day the cry of Wolf ! Wolf ! rings in my ears, 
and as often I know that, even if there is anything in the neighbor- 
hood in the shape of a wolf, it wears the most palpable sheep's cloth- 
ing, and acts up to its costume. Last Christmas— shall I ever forget 
it ? a young man appeared on the scene, a young, swarthy, objection- 
able-looking man. The said man lurks about the house ; and poor 
Geraldine ostentatiously changes the subject when I say I 'have seen 
him, and leads the conversation up to him when I happen to ignore 
him. At length, on a certain night, when the fields and gardens are 
snow-covered, and I am sitting in my library, I am treated to the 
sight of my wife leaving the house with a shawl thrown over her, 
meeting the said man immediately outside my window, and there 
and then falling into his arms and embracing him. Bah ! as though 
I had read Christmas stories for nothing ! I opened the window 
at once, and quietly said — "Now, Geraldine, which of your brothers 
is it?" and had the pleasure of being presented to her brother 
James, who had returned from Australia, and did me the honor of 
staying with me for two months. She knew he was coming home, 
she told me afterwards, and had arranged a little plot to test my 
love for her. As though my love wanted testing. I love her 
with my whole heart and soul, and yet she is always doubting me, 
and devising little plans to make me jealous. Oh ! if I could only 
be left alone for a little time, how happy I should be. (Sighs, takes 
up book, goes on reading. 

Enter Geraldine, with two letters in her hand, one of which is opened. 



DONT BE TOO QUICK TO CEY " WOLF. 7 

Ger. Guy, oli my dear Guy! tell me had you many shares in the 
" Patagonian Silver Mines !" 

Guv {looking up.) Yes, dear; I had to some extent invested in that 
gorgeous undertaking. 

Gee. Oli, my dear husband, here is a letter to say that the Compa- 
ny is hopelessly ruined. Oh, I am so glad ! 

* Guy. Glad ! Well, upon my soul, that's a lively way of looking at 
it ! Are you aware that when a man holds shares in a Company, and 
that company comes to grief, that man as a shareholder 

Ger. Is ruined too. Yes, and that is why I am glad. Oh, my hus- 
band ! now you shall see how staunch and true your weak-minded 
wife can be. Now you will see her come out in her true colors. Now, 
my dearest Guy, now that you are a poor man 

Guy. Geraldine, Geraldine, I am not a poor man. Months and 
months ago I knew that these shares were valueless. Of course, I 
lose by them, but, so far from ruining me, the loss will hardly affect 
me. 

Ger. Won't it? Oh, I am so sorry. 

Guy. Why ? In the name of — well, in the name of goodness, why ? 

Ger. Because, Guy, I should like you to see me in my true colors. 
Oh, I should be so brave if you were ruined. 

Guy. My dear child, be brave as it is. I always do see you in your 
true colors, and believe me they become you very w 7 ell. 

Ger. I'm certain you think I'm only fit to be the pampered wife of 
a rich man — that if we became poor I should die. 

Guy. What, change your colors by dyeing them ! No, little wife, 
I'm sure you wouldn't. Your colors are fast enough, though I don't 
believe you know it. 

Ger. Fast, Guy ? I'm certain that no woman was ever more quiet- 
ly dressed than I am at this moment ! 

Guy. Oh, don't, don't ; please don't. You twist every thing that I 
say inside out. Who is that other letter from ? 

Ger. I can't say, I haven't opened it ; I was too full of the mines. 

Guy. I wish they had been full 

Ger. Go on — say it. You wish they had been full of me. In other 
words, you wish I was buried in them. 

Guy. {kissing her.) For one reason, yes — because then there would 
have been a treasure in them. Come, give me that letter (opens let- 
ter and reads.) Oh, here is good news. It is from George, my dear 
old friend George. He is coming to stay with us, and will be here, 
— why, he will be here at noon to-day. This letter must have been 
delayed, for it is past that now. I am so glad. 

Ger. (coldly.) Do you refer to Captain George ? 

Guy. Of course I do. To what other George could I refer ? My 
dear old friend. He may be here at any moment ; and he evidently 
means to pay us a good long visit. 

Ger. I am very sorrv for it. 

Guy. Sorry^er-it, Geraldine ! Why ? 

Ger. Because I do not like him. 

Guy. Not like my best and oldest friend ? 

Ger. I am sorry to have to say it, but I do not like him. 

Guy. And may I again ask, why ? 

Ger. He is a not a true friend to men ; he is not a sincere man 
with women. He is just the man to estrange man from wife. I say 
again I am very sorry he is coming to stay here. 



8 don't be too quick to cry "wolf." 

, Guy. Geraldine, you cannot understand what serious things you 
are saying — what grave charges you are making. George is my very 
dear and very old friend, and as such he ought to receive a hearty 
welcome from you as from me. 

Ger. And in return for it what will he do ? Induce you to go out 
with him to hunt, to fish, and to shoot ; induce you to sit up at night 
to smoke, to drink, and to play cards. In a word, he will do every- 
thing to break up our quiet life, and make you dissatisfied with it and 
with me. 

Guy. He will do nothing of the sort. While he is my guest I shall, 
as I have done before, devote a certain amount of time to him, and 
try to make his visit a pleasant one. I shall do so, Geraldine, at the 
risk of making you jealous of him, for it is jealousy which prompts 
you to say all these foolish things ; and unless you join me in wel- 
coming him I shall be terribly annoyed and hurt. Hark ! I hear the 
sound of his carriage wheels ; I will go to him. I hate, my darling, 
to have to speak so sternly to you, but you have brought it on your- 
self. Pray remember what I have said. 

Exit Guy. 

Gee. He has left me without a kiss ! For the first time since we 
have been married he has left me without a kiss! Oh, what can I 
do tc make him love me ? How can I render his married life a happy 
one ? He is so good, and so tender, and yet I know he finds so much 
wanting in me that he will soon think, as I think now, that our mar- 
riage was a mistake. He is too satisfied, he cannot be made jealous 
of me, and, therefore, I am convinced he no longer loves me. Oh, if 
I could only rouse him from this terrible state of lethargy. Stay, 
this Captain George, a man who would flirt with any woman who 
would give him the least encouragement — his great friend, too — why 
should I not avail myself of this opportunity, and once more try a 
little innocent stratagem to regain my dear husband's waning affec- 
tion? The end justifies the means, and I will do it. 

lie-enter Guy with Captain George. 

Guy. Once more, dear old boy, ten thousand welcomes. I needn't 
introduce you to Geraldine, need I f 

George. And I need not ask Mrs. Gilbart how she is ? The answer 
to that question is conveyed in her face. She never looked more 
charming. {They shake hands.) 

Ger. (aside.) The same as ever! I shall find a very willing accom- 
plice in my little plot. (Aloud.) We are .so glad to see you, Captain 
George ; all the more so because you promise to pay us a long visit. 
You will not outstay your welcome, of that you may be sure. 

Guy. Well put, little woman. That's the way in which a wife 
should welcome her husband's friend. Eh, George ? 

George. A very pleasant way, truly ; but I hope Mrs. Gilbart re- 
gards me as a friend of her own, as well as a friend of her husband's. 

Ger. Why, Captain George, of course I do. 

Guy. Why, my dear boy, of course she does. Well, and now, what 
shall be our next programme — lunch? 

Ger. We breakfasted so late that I ordered lunch at two o'clock — 
but if Captain George 

George. My dear Mrs. Gilbart, I regret to say that I have not 



don't be too quick to cby "wolf." 9 

breakfasted at all — and let nie see — it is now one o'clock ; the great 
question which occurs to me is, what can I do to get up an appetite 
by two o'clock. 

*Ger. Oh, I know; sit in the house and drink bitters and some- 
thing. 

Guy. I know a better way than that. Walk through the turnips 
with me, and get a shot at the partridges which I know to be there. 

George. That sounds better. 

Guy. Good. Then I'll go and get a couple of guns, put on thick 
boots and gaiters, rig you up in ditto, ditto, for there wont be time 
to get out your own things ; and then Geraldine shall see what we 
can do for her larder at two o'clock. I'll be back directly. 

Exit Guy. 

Ger. {aside.) I shall commence at once. (Aloud.) I cannot tell 
you, Captain George, how glad we — how glad / am to see you. In 
this quiet country house, we — or perhaps I should say I — lead such a 
lonely, monotonous, solitary life, that any visitor is welcome ; that 
you of all others are welcome, "goes without saying." 

George. It is very pleasant, Mrs. Gilbart-, to hear you say so. Yes, 
I can fancy that your life here, charming as the place is, is a little 
dull. Poor Guy must get moped a good deal. 

Ger. Oh, pardon me, he does not get anything of the sort. He is 
as happy as the day is long ; he is completely wrapped up in his 
books, and wants nothing more. 

George. So! But you. Surely you want something beyond this 
miserable, dull routine ? 

Ger. To tell the truth, I do. Ah, Captain George, how little we 
know ourselves. Before I was married I used to say that the very 
height of my ambition would be to live in the quiet country alone 
with my husband ; that I should need no society but his ; that out- 
side my own little household I should neither want nor have inter- 
ests. Now, at the end of one short year I find that all my ideas have 
changed, and that I am dying of ennui. 

George (aside.) By Jove! here is a change indeed. (Aloud.) Ah, 
Mrs. Gilbert, I can well understand you, and knowing your nature 
and Guy's, I always felt sure it would be so. Can you then now find 
some excuse for those married ladies who endeavor to make life en- 
durable by making a few pleasures for themselves, and upon whom 
you were at one time so severe ! 

Ger. Excuse ! Indeed I can. I tell you I have altered, and I can 
see now that at one time I used to think and talk a great deal of 
nonsense. Ah ! I did not know then what it was to have a neglect- 
ful husband — what it was to Stay! what am I saying? Guy is 

your friend, and you will tell him. 

George. Mrs. Gilbart! Can you think so badly of me? Anything 
-that you say to me is in confidence, and is regarded by me as sacred. 

Ger. You do not mind, then, that your friend's wife should give 
you her confidence ? 

George. Mind! I feel honored — Mrs. Gilbart, Geraldine — I may 
call you Geraldine when we are alone, may I not ? 

Ger. (Looks at him but does not answer.) 

George (takes her hand and presses it.) Ah, now we understand 
each other. Tell me all. And so Guy neglects you ? 



10 don't be too quick to cry "wolf." 

Ger. He does. And I am unhappy, and I want to ask you, I know 
you will 

George. My dearest Geraldine, I will do anything in the world for 
you. Alas ! I always foresaw this. Guy is a good fellow, and all 
that sort of thing, but as utterly incapable of appreciating you as he 
is of flying, he always reminds me of a bat ; he's as blind as one, he 
is as 

Ger. Stop, you must remember that bats can fly. 

George. Yes, but they always fly at the most absurd hours, and 
in the beautiful sunshine use their wings to hook themselves up to 
unpleasant rafters in the dustiest corners of mouldy old barns. Now 
that is exactly the case with Guy. He doesn't understand his good 
fortune in having you for his wife, and never will. 

Ger. Bat what am I to do ? 

George. You must do, Geraldine, as many other young wives have 
to do who find out, too late, that they have thrown themselves away. 
You must make a life for yourself and arrange for your own pleas- 
ures, as your husband always arranges for his. Have your own 
friends as he has his. 

Ger. Is this what other wives have to do ? 

George. Of course it is : and, once having overcome their preju- 
dices, very pleasant times they manage to have of it. Now I must 
tell you candidly that until this moment I had very little hope for 
you, and my heart ached for you. I always believed that you were 
one of those absurd women who regard everything from such a seri- 
ous point of view. That you would find out what your husband was 
like and fall in love with some one else, I was certain 

Ger. {eagerly.) Captain George, hear me 

George. In a moment I will. I was going to say, that you would 
of course fall in love with some one else ; but I thought you would 
want the favored individual to run away with you, and so make a 
regular scene of it, but now that I find I am mistaken I do not hesi- 
tate, my darling Geraldine, to tell you of my love for you. Ah, do 
not be 'startled. Remember, you must before all things overcome 
your prejudices. I tell you, dearest, I love you, and, now that we 
understand each other, what happiness may not be ours. 

Again takes her hand, and is endeavoring to draw her towards him and 
to kiss her, she resisting, when Guy is heard without. 

Guy. (calling.) George, George. 

George. Your husband! Be careful that he does not notice any- 
thing. 

Ger., greatly agitated, sinks into a chair. 
Enter Guy. 

Guy. Come along, George, and get your boots on. I'm sorry IV 
been so long. 

George. I'm not at all sorry, for Mrs. Gilbart's society has been 
charming. But now I'm quite ready for you. 

Exit Captain George. 

Guy is following him, when Ger. seizes him oy the arm and detains him. 

Ger. (still much agitated, ) Guy, stay with me. I have something 
terrible to say to you. But I must tell you this moment, this in- 
stant 



don't be too quick to cry "wolf." 11 

Guy. Not now, little woman, after lunch, we really have so little 
time now. 

Ger. Oh, Guy, dear Guy! Don't leave me now, do, do, hear me. . 

Guy. Well, if it must be so, what is it ? More suspicions ? 

Ger. No, oh no, would it were only a suspicion ? Guy, I have been 
insulted, horribly, terribly insulted, and you have been most cruelly 
wronged. 

Guy. What do you mean ? 

Ger. It means, it seems almost too dreadful to tell, and yet if I 
don't tell you this moment I feel as though I should die. It means 
Ihat the man you call your friend — Captain George 

Guy. Well, what has he been doing ? 

Ger. This. He has been telling me that he loves me, Guy, that you 
cannot appreciate me, and that he and I 

Guy Oh, Geraldine, Geraldine, Wolf ! Wolf ! More plots to test me ! 
More Christmas stories raked up ! I know all about it, dear ! 

Ger. No, no. Oh, Guy, do believe me pray, pray believe me. This 
is no invention, no plot. I know I have been very foolish before, 
but this is true, indeed, indeed, this is true. 

Guy. Listen to me, for I must talk to you very seriously. You do 
not know what you are saying, or doing, or how much mischief, if I 
was foolish enough to believe you, you might be making. These lit- 
tle masquerades got up with a brother at Christmas time, are, so long 
as you do not take cold, all very well. I am sorry that you should 
think them necessary, but I do not much mind them. In this case it 
is very different. George is my very dear old friend, and I love and 
trust him implicitly. Think what your story might cause between 
us. 

Ger. He is a false and wicked friend 

Guy. Hush ! we will speak no more of him, for I will not wrong 
him by another word. I come to an even more important matter — 
yourself. No man ever dared to tell the wife of his friend that he 
loved her unless he had received from her a very, very great amount 
of bold encouragement. Hence it follows that before I suspect Mm, 
I must suspect you. 

Ger. Ah, but I did encourage him. I was foolish, and I meant no 
harm. 

Guy. Enough, Geraldine! I will hear no more. You are my wife, 
my dearly loved wife, and are above suspicion ; George is my old and 
tried friend, and I have already insulted him by hearing so much. 

Ger. And he will stay with us ? 

Guy. Of course he will stay with us. 

Ger. Oh what have I done that you will not believe me ? Oh, Guy, 
my husband ! 

Guy. Hush ! he is coming. 

Enter Captain George. 

George. I am ready at last, Guy. I found I couldn't manage with 
your boots so had to get my own after all. Shall we be off ? 
Guy. In one moment. Stay here, and I will be back directly. 

Exit Guy. 

George, {eagerly.) Did he suspect anything ? 
Ger. {quietly.) He suspects nothing. 

George. Oh, my darling, what an escape we had! in future we 
must be more cautious — we must arrange 



12 don't be too quick to cry wolf. 

Ger. Stop ! and hear what I have to say. When I spoke to you 
a short time ago, I had some very foolish ideas in my head, and 
said things which I not only did not believe, but did not even mean. 
Those words of mine caused you to think that you were speaking to 
a woman of a class among whom you, no doubt, number a large ac- 
quaintance, and you then dared, under your own friend's roof, to 
profess love — oh, such love ; it is profanity to use the word — to your 
friend s wife. At the moment when I was endeavoring to make* you 
understand the mistake which you had made, he came in, and direct- 
ly we were alone together I told him all. I told him all, and he will 
not believe me, and he is as much your friend as ever. Well, your 
treachery has done this amount of good ; it has at length opened my 
eyes and enabled me to understand the beauty of my dear husband's 
character. Where he loves he is incapable of suspicion, but were he 
to suspect, even in the least degree, his wife, or even his friend, so 
cruel would the blow be to him that it would break his heart. Good, 
loving, and loyal himself, he believes others to be good, loving, and 
loyal, ; and henceforth it shall be my care that his goodness and 
trust shall be better rewarded than they have been in the past. He 
shall suspect nothing — not even you. Stay your time out here, Cap- 
tain George, and we will, for his sake, appear as friends ; but remem- 
ber that I shall always hate and despise you. 

Gut, ivho has entered while she has been speaking, and has stood at 
hack, eomes forward. 

Guy. No, Geraldine, you will do nothing of the sort. 

Ger. (rushing to him.) Oh, you have overheard us. Then wow you 
will believe me. 

Guy. My dear child, I believe everything and everybody. Now I 
must make a confession. 

Ger. A confession ? You ? 

Guy. Yes, I. Know then that I, too, have been plotting. In a long 
letter which I wrote lately to my dear old friend George, I told him 
how happy I was with a charming wife, who only had one fault. 

George. A wonderful woman, indeed. 

Guy. And that one fault was a silly little habit of crying, " Wolf ! 
Wolf !" when there was no Wolf. When he arrived this morning I 
told him directly that "Wolf" was being cried all over the place, 
and he said, "Let me be a Wolf, and I'll cure her at once." 

Ger. And that was what you did ? 

George. Exactly. I was a Wolf all the time, and when I saw your 
charming indignation, Mrs. Gilbart, I felt like one. 

Guy. And so the story is told. 

Ger. Yes and I'm glad it is only a story. Captain George, I beg 
your pardon; I don't hate or despise you; but oh, how^vou must, 
both of you, despise me. ' x. 

Guy. Oh, you foolish Geraldine ! There you are again — Wolf : Wolf ! 

Ger. (sadly.) But I deserve to be despised. Isn't there a Wolf 
now? 

Guy. (kissing her.) Not the ghost of one. 



CUM TAIN. 



DE WITT'S ACTING PLAYS. 



«> 4*4E>>^ ^ 



4>gp» Please notice that nearly all the Comedies, Farces and Comediettas in the following 
List of " De Witt's Acting Plays " are very suitable for representation in small Amateur 
Theatres and on Parlor Stages, as they need but little extrinsic aid from complex scenery 
or expensive costumes. They have attained their deserved popularity by their droll situa- 
tions, excellent plots, great humor and brilliant dialogues, no less than by the fact that 
they are the most perfect in every respect of any edition of plays ever published either in 
the United States or Europe, whether as regards purity of text, accuracy and fullness of 
stage directions and scenery, or elegance of typography and clearness of printing. 

*** In ordering please copy the figures at the commencement of each piece, which 
indicate the number of the piece in " De Witt's List of Acting Plats." 

JSSf Any of the following Plays sent, postage free, on receipt of price— Fifteen Cents 
each. 



JB®" The figure following the name of the Play denotes the number of Acts, 
figures in the columns indicate the number of characters— M. male; P. female. 



The 



75. Adrienne, drama, 3 acts 7 

231. All that Glitters is not Gold, comic 

drama, 2 acts 6 

308, All on Account of a Bracelet, come- 
dietta, lact .. 2 

114. Anything for a Change.comedy.l act 3 
167. Apple Blossoms, comedy, 3 acts. . . 7 
93. Area Belle, farce, 1 act 3 

40. Atchi, comedietta, 1 act , 3 

89. Aunt Charlotte's Maid, farce, 1 act. 3 

258. Aunt Dinah's Pledge, temperance 
drama, 2 acts 6 

287. Bachelor's Box (La Petite Hotel), 
comedietta, 1 act 4 

166. Bardell vs. Pickwick, sketch. 1 act. 6 

310. Barrack Room (The), comedictta,2a. 6 

41. Beautiful Forever, farce, 1 act 2 

141. Bells (The), drama, 3 acts 9 

223. Betsey Baker, farce, 1 act 2 

67. Birthplace of Podgers, farce, 1 act.. 7 
36. Black Sheep, drama, 3 acts . 7 

279. Black-Eyed Susan, drama, 2 acts. . . 14 

296. Black and White, drama, 3 acts 6 

160. Blow for Blow, drama, 4 acts 11 

179. Breach of Promise, drama, 2 acts . . 5 
25. Broken-Hearted Club, comedietta.. 4 

70. Bonnie Fish Wife, farce, 1 act 3 

261. Bottle (The), drama, 2 acts 11 

226. Box and Cox, Romance,,.! act. .... 2 

24. Cabman No. 93, farce, 1 act 2 

199. Captain of the Watch, comedietta, 

1 act 6 

1. Caste, comedy, 3 acts 5 

175. Cast upon the World, drama, 5 acts.ll 
55. Catharine Howard, historical play, 

3 acts 12 

69. Caught by the Cuff, farce, 1 act. ... 4 

80. Charming Pair, farce, 1 act 4 

65. Checkmate, comedy, 2 acts G 

68. Chevalier de St. George, drama, 3a. 9 
JJ9. Chimney! Corner (The), domestic 

drama, 3 acts , 5 

76. Chops of the Channel, farce, 1 act. . 3 
205. Circumstances alter Cases, comic 

operetta, 1 act 1 

149. Clouds, comedy. 4 acts 8 

12 L Oomicai Countess, farce, 1 act 3 



M. F. 

222. Cool as a Cucumber, farce, 1 act.. . . 3 2 

248. Cricket on the Hearth, drama, 3 acts 8 6 

107. Cupboard Love, farce, 1 act 2 1 

152. Cupid's Eye-Glass, comedy, 1 act.. 1 1 

52. Cup of Tea, comedietta, 1 act 3 1 

148, Cut Off with a Shilling, comedietta, 

1 act 2 1 

113. Cyril's Success, comedy, 5 acts .... 10 4 

20. Daddy Gray, drama, 3 acts 8 4 

286. Daisy Farm, drama, 4 acts 10 4 

4. Dandelion's Dodges, farce, 1 act... , 4 2 

22. David Garrick, comedy, 3 acts 8 3 

275. Day After the Wedding, farce, 1 act 4 2 

96. Dearest Mamma, comedietta, 1 act.. 4 3 

16. Dearer than Life, drama, 3 acts 6 5 

58. Deborah (Leah), drama, 3 acts 7 6 

125. Deerfoot, farce, 1 act 5 J 

71. Doing for the Best, drama, 2 acts. . 5 3 

142. Dollars and Cents, comedy, 3 acts. . 9 4 

204. Drawing Room Car(A).comedy,lact 2 1 

21. Dreams, drama, 5 acts 6 8 

260. Drunkard's Warning, drama, 3 acts 6 3 

210. Drunkard's Doom (The), drama, 2a.l5 5 

263. Drunkard (The), drama, 5 acts 13 5 

186. Duchess de la Valliere.plav, 5 acts.. 6 4 

242. Dumb Belle (The), farce, 1 act 4 2 

47. Easy Shaving, farce, 1 act 5 2 

283. E. C. B. Susan Jane, musical bur- 
lesque, 1 act.. 8 1 

202. Eileen Oge, Irish drama. 4 acts 11 3 

315. Electric Love, farce, 1 act 1 1 

297. English Gentleman (An), comedy- 
drama, 4 acts 7 4 

200. Estranged, operetta. 1 act 2 1 

135. Everybody's Friend, comedy. 3 acts 6 5 

230. Family Jars, musical farce, 2 acts . . 5 2 

103. Faust and Marguerite, drama. 3 acts 9 7 
9. Fearful Tragedy in the Seven Dials, 

interlude, 1 act i 1 

128. Female Detective, drama, 3 acts 11 4 

±01. Fernande, drama, 3 acts 11 10 

99. Fifth Wheel, comedy, 3 acta 10 2 

262, Fifteen Years of a Drunkard's Life, 

melodi-ama, 3 acts 13 4 

145. First Love, comedy, 1 act 4 1 

102. Foiled, drama. 4 acts 9 3 

88. Founded on Facts, farce, 1 act 4 2 



DE WITT'S ACTING PLAYS -Continued. 



ii59. 
192. 

74. 

53. 

73. 

30. 

131. 
276. 
306. 

277. 

206, 
241, 



180, 
303, 

19. 

60. 
191. 
•24,6. 
301. 
224. 
187. 
174. 
211. 

64. 
190. 
197. 
225. 
252. 

18. 
116. 
129, 
159, 
278, 
282, 
273. 
243, 
271. 
244. 
270, 
274, 
122, 
177. 
100, 
299 
139, 

17, 
233, 

spy, 

86. 
137. 

72. 
144. 

34. 
l.SJ. 
251, 
111. 
119. 
239. 

18. 

32. 
164. 
295. 
165. 
228, 



M. F. 

Fruits of the Wine Cup, drama, 3 eta 6 3 

Game of Cards (A), comedietta, la.. 3 1 

Gamok Fever, farce, 1 act 7 4 

Gertrude's Money Box, farce, 1 act. 4 2 

Goldeu Fetters (Fettered), drama, 3.11 4 
Goose with the Goldeu Eggs, farce, 

j ai >^ , 5 3 

Go to Putney, farce, 1 act 4 3 

Good for Nothing, comic drama, la. 5 1 

Great Success (A), comedy, 3 acts.. 8 5 
Grmishaw, Bagshaw and Bradshaw, 

farce, 1 act ; ; V t ? 

Heir Apparent (The), farce, 1 act. . . 5 1 

Handy Andy, drama, 2 acts 10 3 

Happy Pair, comedietta, 1 act 1 1 

Hard Case (A), farce, 1 act 2 

Heury Dunbar, drama, 4 acts 10 3 

Henry the Fifth, hist, play, 5 acts.. 38 5 

Her Ouly Fault, comedietta, 1 act.. 2 2 

He's a Lunatic, farce, 1 act 3 2 

Hidden Hand, drama, 4 acts 5 5 

High C, comedietta, 1 act 3 3 

High Life Below Stairs,farce,2 acts. 9 5 

Hinko, romantic drama, 6 acts 12 7 

His Last Legs, farce, 2 acts 5 3 

His Own Enemy, farce, 1 act 5 1 

Home, comedy. 3 acts 4 3 

Honesty is the Best Policy, play, 1. 2 

Household Fairy, sketch, 1 act 1 1 

Hunting the Slippers, farce, 1 act. . 4 1 

Hunchback (The), play, 5 acts 13 2 

Ici on Parle Fraucais, farce, 1 act... 3 4 

Idiot Witness, melodrama, 3 acts. . . 6 1 

If I had a Thousand a Year : farce, 14 3 

I'm not Mesilf at all, Irish stew, la. 3 2 

In for a Holiday, farce, 1 act 2 3 

In the Wrong House, farce, 1 act. . . 4 2 

Irish Attorney (The), farce, 2 acts . . 8 2 

Irish Broom Maker, farce. 1 act 9 3 

Irishman in London, farce, 1 acts. . 6 3 

Irish Lion (The), farce, 1 act 8 3 

Irish Post (The), drama, 1 act 9 3 

Irish Tutor (Tbe), farce, 1 act 5 2 

Irish Tiger (The), farce, 1 act 5 1 

Irish Widow (The), farce, 2 acts 7 1 

Isabella Orsini, drama, 4 acts 11 4 

I Shall Invite the Major, comedy, 14 1 

Jack Long, drama, 2 acts 9 2 

Joan of Arc, hist, play, 5 acts 26 6 

Joy is Dangerous, comedy, 2 acts. . 3 3 

Kind to a Fault, comedy, 2 acts. ... 6 4 
Kiss in the Dark (A), farce, 1 act.. ..23 

Ladies' Battle (The), comedy, 3 acts 7 2 

Lady of Lyons, play, 5 acts 12 5 

L' Article 47, drama, 3 acts 11 5 

Lame Excuse, farce, 1 act 4 2 

Lancashire Lass, melodrama.4 acts. 12 3 

fjarkins' Love Letters, farce, 1 act.. 3 2 

Leap Year, musical duality, 1 act — 1 1 

Lend Me Five Shillings, farce, 1 act 5 3 

L ar (The), comedy, 2 acts 7 2 

Life Chase, drama, 5 acts 14 5 

Limerick Bov (The), farce, 1 act 5 2 

Little Annie's Birthday, farce, 1 act.. 2 4 

Little Kebel, farce, 1 act 4 3 

Little Ruby, drama, 3 acts 6 6 

Little Em'ly, drama, 4 acts 8 8 

Living Statue (Tbe^, farce, 1 act 3 2 

Loan of a Lover (The), vaudeville,!. 4 1 



la 

109. Locked in, comedietta, 1 act 3 

85. Locked in with a Lady, sketch 1 

87. Locked Out, comic scene 1 

143. Lodgers and Dodgers, farce, 1 act. . 4 
212. London Assurance, comedy, 5 acts. 10 

291. M. P.. comedy, 4 acts 7 

210. Mabel's Manoeuvre, interlude, 1 act 1 
163. Marcoretti, drama, 3 acts 10 

154. Maria and jMagdalena, play, 4 acts. . 8 
63. Marriage at any Price, farce, 1 act. . 5 

249. Marriage a Lottery, comedy, 2 acta. 3 

208. Married Bachelors, comedietta, la.. 3 
39. Master Jones' Birthday, farce, 1 act 4 

7. Maud's Peril, drama, 4 acts 5 

49. Midnight Watch, drama, 1 act 8 

15. Milky White, drama, 2 acts 4 

46. Miriam's Crime, drama, 3 acts 5 

51. Model of a Wife, farce, 1 act 3 

302. Model Pair (A), comedy, 1 act 2 

184. Money, comedy, 5 acts 17 

250. More Blunders than One, farce, la. 4 
312. More Sinned against than Sinning, 

original Irish drama, 4 acts 11 

234. Morning Call (A), comedietta, 1 act. 1 

108. Mr. Scroggins, farce, 1 act 3 

188. Mr. X., farce, t act 3 

169. My Uncle's Suit, farce, 1 act 4 

216. My Neighbor's Wife, farce, ] act 3 

236. My Turn Next, farce, 1 act 4 

193. My Walking Photograph, musical 

duality, 1 act 1 

267. My Wife's Bonnet, farce, 1 act 3 

130. My Wife's Diary, farce, 1 act 3 

92. My Wife's Out, farce, 1 act 2 

218. Naval Engagements, farce, 2 acts. . . 4 
140. Never Reckon your Chickens, etc., 

farce. 1 act 3 

115. New Men and Old Acres, comedy, 3 8 

2. Nobody's Child, drama, 3 acts 18 

57. Noemie, drama, 2 acts.. 4 

104. No Name, drama, 5 acts 7 

112. Not a bit Jealous, farce, 1 act 3 

298. Not if I Know it, farce, 1 act 4 

155. Not so bad as we Seem, play, 5 acts.13 
84. Not Guilty, drama, 4 acts 10 

117. Not such a Fool as he Looks, drama, 
3 acts.... 5 

171. Nothing like Paste, farce, 1 act. ... 3 
14. No Thoroughfare, drama, 5 acts. .. .13 

300. Notre Dame, drama, 3 acts 11 

269. Object of Interest (An), farce, 1 act. 4 

268. Obstinate Family (The), farce, 1 act. 3 
173. Off the Stage, comedietta, 1 act.... 3 

227. Omnibus (The), farce, Fact . . 5 

176. On Bread and Water, farce>4 act... 1 
254. One Too Many, farce, 1 act 4 

33. One Too Many for Him, farce, 1 act 2 

3. £100,000, comedy, 3 acts 8 

90. Only a Halfpenny, fare*, 1 act 2 

170. Only Somebody, farce, 1 act 4 

289. On the Jury, drama, 4 acts 5 

97. Orange Blossoms, comedietta, 1 act 3 
66. Orange Girl, drama, 4 acts 18 

209. Othello, tragedy, 5 acts 16 

172. Ours, comedy, 3 acts 6 

94. Our Clerks, farce, 1 act 7 

45. Our Domestics, comedy-farce, 2 acts 6 

155. Our Heroes, military play, 5 acts.. .24 
178. Out at Sea, drama, 5 acts 17 



DE WITT'S ACTING PLAYS -Continued. 



147, 
305 

285 
156, 

82, 
127, 

23, 

293, 
62. 
61. 

138. 

217. 

110. 
50. 



181. 



255, 
157, 
132. 
237, 
183, 
38, 
77, 



195. 
247. 
194. 

13. 
229. 
158. 
201. 
264. 

79. 
203. 

37. 

35. 
313. 

43. 

6. 

221. 

10. 

26. 
207. 
304. 

78. 
215. 
256. 



81. 

150. 
120. 



M. F. 

Overland Route, comedy, 3 acts 11 5 257 

Pair of Shoes (A), farce, 1 act 4 3 

Partners for Life, comedy, 3 acts 7 4 146 

Peace at any Price, farce, 1 act 1 1 

Peep o' Day, drama, 4 acts 12 4 83 

Peggy Green, farce, 1 act 3 10 

Petticoat Parliament, extravaganza, 245, 

1 act 15 24 251, 

Philomel, romantic di'ama, 3 acts... 6 4 42 

Photographic Fix, farce, 1 act 3 2 27 

Plot and Passion, drama, 3 acts. ... 7 2 133. 

Poll and Partner Joe, burlesqe, la.. 10 3 153. 

Pooi- Pillicoddy, farce, 1 act 2 3 

Poppleton's Predicaments, farce, la. 3 6 134. 

Porter's Knot, drama, 2 acts 8 2 272. 

Post Boy, drama. 2 acts 5 3 235. 

Pretty Horse-Breaker, farce 3 10 238. 

Pretty Piece of Business (A), come- 23 

dy, lact 2 3 214. 

182. Queen Mary, drama, 4 acts 37 9 168. 

Queerest Courtehip (The), comic 126. 

operetta, 1 act 1 1 234. 

Quiet Family, farce, 1 act 4 4 198. 

Quite at Home, comedietta, 1 act. . . 5 2 205. 

Race for a Dinner, farce, 1 act 10 220. 

Regular Fix (A), farce, 1 act 6 4 56. 

Richelieu, play, 5 acts 12 2 123. 

Rightful Heir, drama, 5 acts 10 2 288. 

Roll of the Drum, drama, 3 acts 8 4 292. 

Romeo on the Gridiron (A), mono- 294. 

logue, for a lady 1 162. 

Rosemi Shell, burlesque, 4 scenes.. 6 3 106. 

Rough Diamond (The), farce, 1 act. 6 3 81. 

Rum, drama, 3 acts 7 4 317. 

Ruy Bias, drama, 4 acts 12 4 

Sarah's Young Man, farce, 1 act 3 3 124. 

School, comedy, 4 acts 6 6 91. 

School for Scandal, comedy, 5 acts.. 13 4 118. 

Scrap of Paper (A), comic drama, 3a. 6 6 281. 

Sheep in Wolf's Clothing, drama, la 7 5 

She Stoops to Conquer, comedy, 5a.l5 4 

Silent Protector, farce. 1 act , -3 2 44. 

Silent Woman, farce, 1 act 2 1 311. 

Single Married Man (A), comic ope- 105. 

retta, 1 act 6 2 266. 

Sisterly Service, comedietta, 1 act.. 7 2 98. 

Six Months Ago, comedietta, 1 act.. 2 1 12. 

Slasher and Crasher, farce. 1 act. . . 5 2 213. 

Snapping Turtles, duologue, 1 act. ..11 5. 

Society, comedy, 3 acts 16 5 

Sold Again, comic operetta, lact... 3 1 „.., 

Sparking, comedietta, 1 act 1 2 * 

Special Performances, farce, 1 act.. 7 3 136. 

Still Waters Run Deep, comedy, 3a. 9 2 161. 

Sweethearts, dramatic contrast, 2a.. 2 2 

Tail (Tale) of a Shark, musical mon- 11, 

ologue, 1 scene 1 290, 

Taming a Tiger, farce, 1 act 3 

Tell-Tale Heart, comedietta, lact.. 1 2 54, 

Tempest in a Teapot, comedy, 1 act 2 1 



M. I 

Ten Nights in a Bar Room, drama, 

5 acts 8 ' 

There's no Smuke without Fire', 

comedietta, 1 act 1 2 

. Thrice Married, personation piece, 

1 act 6 1 

Thumping Legacy (A), 1 act 7 1 

Ticket of Leave Man, drama, 4 acts. 9 3 

. Time ami the Hour, drama, 3 acts. 7 3 

. Time aud Tide, drama, 4 acts 7 5 

. Timothy to the Rescue, farce, 1 act 4 2 
. 'Tis Better to Live than to Die, 

farce, 1 act 2 1 

Tompkins the Troubadour, farce. 1. 3 2 

Toodles (The), drama, 2 acts 10 2 

To Oblige Benson, comedietta, 1 act 3 2 

Trying It On, farce, 1 act 3 3 

Turning the Tables, farce, 1 act. ... 5 3 

Turn Him Out, farce, 1 act 3 2 

Tweedie's Rights, comedy, 2 acts.. 4 2 

Twice Killed, farce, 1 act 6 3 

'Twixt Axe and Crown, play, 5 acts.24 13 

Twin Sisters, comic operetta. 1 act. 2 2 

Two Bonny castles, farce, 1 act 3 3 

Two Buzzards (The), farce, 1 act 3 2 

Two Gay Deceivers, face, 1 act 3 

Two Polts, farce, 1 act 4 4 

Two Roses (The), comedy, 3 acts. . . 7 4 

Two Thorns (The), comedy, 4 acts.. 9 4 

Uncle Dick's Darling, drama, 3 acts 6 5 

Uncle's Will, comedietta, 1 act 2 1 

Up for the Cattle Show, farce, 1 act 6 2 

Vandyke Brown, farce, 1 act 3 3 

Veteran of 1812 (The), romantic mil- 
itary drama, 5 acrs.. .... . 12 2 

Volunteer Review, farce, 1 act 6 6 

Walpole, comedy in rhyme 7 2 

Wanted, a Young Lady, farce, 1 act. 2 1 
Wanted, One Thousand Spirited 
Young Milliners for the Gold Re- 
gions, farce, 1 act 3 7 

War to to the Knife, comedy, 3 acts 5 4 

What Tears can do. comedietta, la.. 3 2 
Which of the Two? comedietta, la.. 2 10 

Who Killed Cock Robin? farce, 2a.. 2 2 

Who is Who ? farce 3 2 

Widow Htmt, comedy, 3 acts 4 4 

Widow (The), comedy, 3 acts 7 6 

William Tell with a Vengeance, bur- 
lesque 8 2 

( Window Curtain, monologue .... 1 

\ Circumstantial Evidence " 1 

Woman in Red, drama, 4 acts 6 8 

Woman's Vows and Masons' Oaths, 

drama, 4 acts 10 4 

Woodcock's Little Game, farce. 2a.. 4 4 
Wrong Man in the Right Place (A), 

farce, 1 act 2 3 

Young Collegian, farce, 1 act 3 2 



A COMPLETE DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF DE WITT'S ACT- 
ING PLAYS AND DE WITT'S ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DRAMAS, 
containing Plot, Costume, Scenery, Time of Representation, and all other informa- 
tion, mailed free and post paid on application. Address 

I>E WITT, 33 Rose Street, New York. 



DE WITT'S DRAWING-ROOM OPERETTAS 



VW* TO MUSICAL AMATEURS. c= ^J 

The number of Musical Amateurs, both ladies and gentlemen, is not only verf 
large, bat is constantly increasing, and very naturally, for there is no more re> 
fined and pleasant mode of spending leisure Jiours thar in singing and playing th» 
choice productions of the best Composers. Hitherto there has been an almost total 
lack of suitable pieces adapted to an evening's entertainment in Parlors by Amateurs. 
Of course whole Operas, or even parts of Operas, require orchestral accompani- 
ments and full choruses to give them effect, and are therefore clearly unfit for 
Amateur performance, while a succession of songs lacks the interest given by a 
plot and a contrast of characters. In this series {a list of which is given below) we 
have endeavored to supply this want. The best Music of popular Composers is wed- 
ded to appropriate words, and the whole dovetailed into plots that are effective a# 
mere petite plays, but are rendered doubly interesting by the appropriate and beau- 
tiful Music, specially arranged for them. 



LIST OF DE WITT'S MUSICAL PLAYS. 

PRICE 15 CENTS EACH. 



LEAP YEAE .— A Musical Dual- 
ity. By Alfred B. Sedgwick. Mu- 
sic selected and adapted from Of- 
fenbach's celebrated Opera, " Gene- 
vieve de Brabant.'''' One Male, one 
Female Character. 

THE TWIN SISTEKS-Comic 

Operetta, in One Act. The Music 
selected from the most popular num- 
bers in Le Cocq's celebrated Opera 
Bouffe, " Oirofle Girofla," and the 
Libretto written by Alfred B. Sedg- 
wick. Two Male, Two Female 
Characters. 

SOLD AGAIN AND GOT THE 

MONEY. — Comic Operetta, m One 
Act. The Music composed and the 
Libretto written by Alfred B. Sedg- 
wick. Three Male, One Female 
Character. 

THE QUEEREST COURTSHIP. 

—Comic Operetta, iu One Act. The 
Music arranged from Offenbach's 
celebrated Opera, "La Princesse de 
Trebizonde," and the Libretto writ- 
ten by Alfred B. Sedgwick. One 
Male, One Female Character. 



ESTRANGED*— An Operetta, iu 
One Act, The Musie arranged from 
"Verdi's celebrated Opera, "II Trov" 
afore." and the Libretto adapted by 
Alfred B. Sedgwick. Two Male, 
One Female Character. 

CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER 

CASES.— Comic Operetta, in One 
Act. The music composed and the 
Libretto written by Alfred B. Sedg- 
wick. One Male, One Female Char- 

MY WALKING PHOTOGRAPH. 

— Musical Duality, in One Act. Th* 
Music arranged from Le Cocq's 
Opera, "La Fille de Madame Angot," 
and the Libretto written by Alfreb 
B. Sedgwick. One Male, One Fe- 
male Character. 

A SINGLE MARRIED MAN.- 

Comic Operetta, in One Act. The 
Music arranged from Offenbach's 
celebrated Opera Bouffe, " Madame 
r Arckiduc,' 1 '' and the Libretto writ- 
ten by Alfred B. Sedgwick. Six 
Male, Two Female Characters. 



JilOLLY MORIARTY. -An Irish 
Musical Sketch, in One Act. The 
Music composed and the Dialogue 
written by Alfred B. Sedgwick. 
One Male, one Female Character. 
Suitable for the Variety Stage. 

THE CHARGE OP THE HASH 

BRIGADE.— A Comic Irish Musical 
Sketch. The Musie composed and 
the Libretto written by Joseph P. 
Skellt. Two Male, two Female 
Characters. Suitable for the Variety 
Stage. 



GAMBRINUS, KING OF LAGER 

BEER.— A Musical Ethiopian Bur- 
lesque, in One Act. Music and Dia- 
logue by Frank Dumont. Eight 
Male, one Female Character. Suita- 
ble for the Ethiopian Stage. 

AFRICANUS BLUEBEARD.-A 

Musical Ethiopian Burlesque, in One 
Act. Music and Dialogue by Frank 
Dumont. Four Male, four Female 
Characters. Suitable for the Ethio- 
pian Stage. 



DE WITT'S ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DEAMA.-Continued. 



M. F. 

33. Jealous Husband, sketch 2 1 

94. Julius the Snoozer. burlesque, 3 sc. 6 1 
103. Katrina's Little Game, Dutch act, 

1 sceue 1 1 

1. Last of the Mohicaus, sketch 3 1 

36. Laughing Gas, sketch, 1 sceue 6 1 

18. Live Iujun, sketch, 4 sceues 4 1 

60. Lost Will, sketch 4 

37. Lucky Job, farce, 2 scenes 3 2 

90. Lunatic (The), farce, 1 scene 3 

109. Making a Hit, farce, 2 scenes 4 

19. Malicious Trespass, sketch, 1 scene. 3 

j 149. 'Meriky, Ethiopian farce, 1 scene. . . 3 1 
151. Micky Free, Irish sketch, 1 scene . . 5 
96. Midnight Intruder, farce, 1 scene . 6 1 
147.. Milliner's Shop (The), Ethiopian 

sketch, 1 scene 2 2 

I 129. Moko Marionettes, Ethiopian eccen- 
tricity, 2 scenes 4 5 

j 101. Molly Moriarty, Irish musical 

sketch, 1 scene . 1 1 

• 117. Motor Bellows, comedy, 1 act 4 

I 44. Musical Servant, sketch. 1 sceue 3 

8. Mutton Trial, sketch, 2 scenes .... 4 

J 119. MyWife'sVisitors, comic drama,lsc. 6 1 

49. Night in a Strange Hotel,sketch,lsc. 2 

132. Noble Savage, Ethi'n sketch, 1 sc. .. 4 

145. No Pay No Cure, Ethi'n sketch, 1 sc. 5 

22. Obeying Orders, sketch, 1 scene.... 2 1 

27. 100th Night of Hamlet, sketch 7 1 

125. Oh, Hush ! operatic olio 4 1 

30. One Night in a Bar Room, sketch . . 7 

114. One Night in a Medical College, 

Ethiopian sketch, 1 scene 7 1 

76. One, Two, Three, sketch, 1 scene.. 7 

91. Painter's Apprentice, farce, 1 scene. 5 
87. Pete aud the Peddler, Negro and 

Irish sketch, 1 scene 2 1 

135. Pleasant Companions, Ethiopian 

sketch, 1 scene 5 1 

92. Polar Bear (The), farce, 1 scene. ... 4 1 

9. Policy Players, sketch, 1 scene 7 

57. Pompey's Patients, interlude, 2sc. 6 

65. Porter's Troubles, sketch, 1 scene.. 6 1 

66. Port Wine vs. Jealousy, sketch 2 1 

115. Private Boarding, comedy, 1 scene. 2 3 
14. Recruiting Office, sketch, 1 act 5 

105. Rehearsal (The), Irish farce, 2 sc. . . 3 1 
45. Remittance from Home,sketch.l sc. 6 
55. Rigging a Purchase, sketch, 1 sc. .. 3 



29. 

97. 

137. 

143. 

99. 

85. 
116. 



Rival Artists, sketch, 1 scene 

Rival Tenants, sketch 

Rival Barbers' Shops (The), Ethio- 
pian farce, 1 scene 

Sam's Courtship, farce, i' act. ....[ '. 

Sausage Makers, sketch, 2 scenes.. 

Scampiui, pantomime, 2 scenes 

Scenes on th« Mississippi, sketch, 
2 scenes 

Serenade (The), sketch, 2 scene's'.'. '. '. 

Siamese Twins, sketch, 2 sceues 

Sleep Walker, sketch, 2 scenes.. 

Slippery Day, sketch, 1 scene 

Squire lor a Day, sketch 

Stage-struck Couple, interlude, 1 sc. 

Stranger, burlesque, 1 scene 

Streets of New York, sketch, 1 sc. 

Storming the Fort, sketch, 1 scene. 

Stupid Servant, sketch, 1 scene 

Stocks Up! Stocks Down! Negro 
duologue, 1 scene 

Take It, Don't Take It, sketch, 1 sc. 

Them Papers, sketch, 1 scene 

Three Chiefs (The), sketch, 1 scene. 

Three A. M., sketch, 2 scenes 

Three Strings to one Bow, sketch, 
1 scene 

Ticket Taker, Ethi'n farce, 1 scene' 

Tricks, sketch 

Two Awluls (The), sketch, 1 scene.. 

Two Black Roses, sketch 

Uncle Eph's Dream, sketch, 2 sc. . . 

Unlimited Cheek, sketch, 1 scene '. '. 

Vinegar Bitters, sketch, 1 scene 

Wake up. William Henry ; sketch. . . 

Wanted, a Nurse, sketch, 1 scene.. . 

Weston, the Walkist, Dutch sketch, 
1 scene 

What shall I Take ? sketch, 1 scene. 

Who Died First? sketch, 1 scene.. . 

Who's the Actor? farce, 1 scene 

Whose Baby is it ? Ethiopian sketch, 
1 sceue 

Wonderful Telephone (The), Ethio- 
pian sketch, 1 scene. 

Wrong Woman in the Right Place, 
sketch. 2 scenes 

Yotmg Scamp, sketch, 1 scene.. 

Zacharias' Funeral, farce, 1 scene.. 



A COMPLETE DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF DE WITT'S ACT- 
ING PLAYS AND DE WITT'S ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DRAMAS, 
containing Plot, Costume, Scenery. Time of Representation, and all other informa- 
tion, mailed free and post paid on application. Address 



DE WITT, Publisher, 

33 Rose Street, rVew York. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




015 873 084 4 



Ai Intolerable Book for Amateurs. 



HOW TO MAHAGE 
AMATEUR THEATRICALS, 



Being plain instructions for construction and arrangement of Stage, 
making Scenery, getting up Costumes, " Making Up " to represent 
different ages and characters, and how to produce stage Illusions and 
Effects. Also hints for the management of Amateur Dramatic Clubs, 
and a list of pieces suitable for Drawing Room Performances. Hand- 
somely illustrated with Colored Plates. 

Price, 25 Cents. 



DE WITT'S SELECTIONS 

FOR 

AMATE1 AND PABLOR THEATRICALS. 

Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4. 

Being choice selections from the very best Dramas, Comedies and 
Farces. Specially adapted for presentation by Amateurs, and for 
Parlor and Drawing Boom Entertainments. 

Each number, 25 Cents. 

PANTOMIME PLAY , 

"HUMPTY DUMPTY." 

The celebrated Pantomime, as originally played for 1,000 nights by the 
late George L. Fox. Arranged by John Denier, Esq. Eight male, 
four female characters. 

Price, 25 Cents. 



